He holds a degree in law with specialization in social security law and European law (University of Ghent, Belgium) and a doctorate in international studies (University of Buckingham, UK).[2] In 2010, he was employed as 'personal assistant' by Dutch far-right MP Geert Wilders.[3]

2009 anti-Islamisation conference

On 23 April 2009, the far-right populist German Pro Köln party stated on its website said that Belien would be attending[7] its 'anti-Islamisation' conference in Cologne on 8-10 May 2009.[8]

Gatestone author and 'government adviser'

A number of Belien's articles have been published by the New York-based Gatestone Institute, which also publishes the work of anti-Islam activists Robert Spencer and Geert Wilders, among other.[9] His profile on the Gatestone website claims that he is 'a scholar on Europe, the European Commission and an adviser to European governments.'[10] These appear to be cross-posts from the Brussels Journal; the last of which was dated 2010.